Catherwood LibraryILR School

A battle is brewing between the Services Employees International Union and the California Nurses Association over the right to represent nurses in the state of Nevada, and over the best ways to improve patient care. The SEIU has traditionally represented nurses in that state, but recent challenges in elections at various Las Vegas hospitals by the California union have shown that the SEIU's hold on representation is more tenuous than previously thought. At issue between the two unions are divergent approaches to resolving staffing shortages. The California union favors a proposed law mandating strict adherence to a prescribed staffing ratio at hospitals, while the SEIU prefers tailoring staffing solutions to each hospital depending on the circumstances. Currently, California is the only state to pass a law mandating staffing ratios, but its success there could help the California Nurses Association in its battle to win representation in Nevada.